Reflections

I am new to guided bell sound meditation in practice, though I know people who cannot begin or end their days without it. After I sat, impatiently, awaiting Mr. Zajonc's instructions (!) ... I surprised myself by noticing the difference in my body, mind and spirit. I will come back and try this again (and again). Thank you.

I had a similar experience to that of Centering Prayer and The Welcoming Prayer exercise at a retreat I went on once. There was something very distinct that happened during the welcoming portion, it was like a break in time or demarcation of sorts after which I felt supreme calm.

It was the first time I did something like this. I am amazed to see how quickly and naturally I moved to a much more peaceful state. I think that starting with focusing on breathing was a great thing. The bell was a way to let other thoughts go.A great experience.

i will need to come back when i have head sset current computer not able to produce sound. i look forward to this. I just took a minute & found even just visulizing / imaginationing the sound of the bell was transformational & wonderful. Imagine if we could invite the whole human villiage to try this for just once or a week -- Yes I do believe this is possible - easy maybe not at this moment but perhaps a very good endeavor - maybe start with our next gereration even. thank you for this experience

Very nice. So simple. And, so difficult. (I am a poster child for "monkey mind" referred to in post below.) And, like another poster stated, it may be easier for me to "take hold" of the bell's sound than it is for me to "let go" of everything else. (I don't "let go" very well . . yet). Thank you for this.

The bell announces itself in sudden presence and then slips away gradually in tonal waves that allow the light and the dark to become neither superior nor inferior to each other as likewise the mind and body give way to each other.

The sound of bells is like the heartbeat of universal soul and my connection through their vibrations to my neighbors and to all that is natural and true. I have heard bells throughout my life, even when they are still and touched only by the same air I breathe. On those now rare occasions when I am blessed with a bell's call, my spirit immediately answers with a peace, undetected until then, but intimately familiar to my essential being. Listen.

The bell both focused my attention and then was the way to expansion. I felt that I followed the reverberations into an expanded place and that was a very pleasant transition. In that expanded place I didn't have any particular revelation, just a peaceful state of awareness. At first I found the guide's suggestion to re-hear the bell sound as an intrusion on my peaceful expanded place, but I decided to try that inner exercise again and found I moved smoothly from the sound of the bell back to the expanded state. I had a vision during the bell sound that the reverberations are like a long tail that I follow to its sound perceptible end that then opens into a light filled, swirling motion space. Thank you for this exercise. I will use it again.

We shall never hear what you do. We are the maker of bells, you are but the Fool who rings it. Insensate and unknowing wretch, we MORE than hear it. We feel the blasts of fire, smell the burnt earth, are soaked in sweats, blistered from foundering, and madly blinded by the greasy lead. Oh such Joy! Oh such Peace!

Paying attention to the bell and the internal 'echoing' of the bell helped me to keep my thoughts from wandering. The voice was a distraction but with too much silence my mind wandered as in dreaming. At one point I felt a very strong sensation of my hand being held - very odd. Restful enough that I'd like to try more of this. My mind tends to repeat things over and over. Learning this might give me the ability to stop that annoying habit.

I listened to this guided meditation shortly after receiving news that the son-in-law of a friend tried to commit suicide. In the 'openly aware' part of the meditation, I found my compassion arising to surround my friend, her daughter, son-in-law, and three grandchildren in a way that was palpable.

I found that the sound of the bell, and the echo even more so, allowed me to keep my roaming thoughts at bay (something I generally find difficult.) I found this a relief and a wonderful tool. It makes me wonder if I can use the "echo of the bell" to help me focus my thoughts in "real" life, outside of a meditation practice.

The first ringlet me see a tiny blue flare of light; with the memory ring the blue grew up from a horizon and fluctuated, the second memory brought green and darker strands like stems through the moving greenery. When I released the sound, the blue color returned and intensified to indigo, purple and moving like clouds and filling my vision. In the end, with the re-releasing amidst the dark purple came a detailed glimpse of ancient yellowing teeth in a partial skull that was replaced by a turtle-like head and then the muzzle of an otter? and then two fish/dolphin forms and then a seaturtle and a progression of marine life forms I don't have names for. They were fascinating and beautiful and I felt compassion for them all. As for thevoice of the guide, I often was distracted/annoyed by its intrusion into my experience. How can one focus on one sound while listening to another? But I am glad for what came to me through this exercise. Thank you.

The meditation took me very deep. Even as I am writing these comments there is a deep stillness. I didn't experience the expansive feeling until the meditation ended. The guidance to open to the expansion in fact worked as a block of expectation. Though I could hear the resounding of the bell and the fading away the closing bell touched me even deeper than the original sound. Sometimes I try to hard. The ending bell allowed me to let got of trying. Thank you.

1. Tried to listen fully without thinking critically about the exercise.2. Yes and no; tried this exercise once, motivated in part by my desire to increase my ability to work in the world. 3. My trust in Krista Tippett, Speaking of Faith and Arthur Zajonc - after having listened to "Holding Life Conciously" - helped me listen to the guide's voice.

This illustrated to me that quieting the mind is a practice I need to work on more. I had a difficult time letting the inner flow of thoughts quiet. But, I was able to really hear and re-create the sound in a tangible way. The reverberations of the bell connected me to thoughts of heartbeat and pulse--life reverberates like that. I wish to attend more fully in my prayer life.

1. Because I am auditory by nature, it was much easier for me to imagine the bell sound then in guided meditations involving visualizing. Re-imagining the sound cleared all thoughts from my mind and enabled me to start with a clean slate.2. I felt a deepening where I went more into myself and from there could be open to what was around me. Which turned out to be noisey coworkers talking about the Queen ;) So I had to go back to the bell to re-center.3. His voice kept my mind from wander too far. It still wandered but not as far as unguided. And he did not 'over-guide', he gave me space to do the meditation.

I'm a novice at meditation but was able to respond to the quieting and focusing on the bell sound. I never got the opening awareness idea, though. Reading some of the comments here I am getting a little guidance. I love listening to the voice guiding me through the process. Without it, my mind wanders uncontrollably. I will try it again. Thank you.

Yes, the bell was very effective. It reminded me of my childhood and listening to the chimes of my grandparents' grandfather clock - I loved hearing them go off in the middle of the night and found it extremely relaxing. Yes, as I was paying close attention I could feel the stress and anxiety seep out of my body. The breathing exercise prior to the bell chiming was extremely helpful. The voice was very helpful - this person has a very soothly voice. I enjoyed this exercise very much!

I found the practice powerful but rushed. It would have been helpful if the guide had gone more slowly. After he stopped speaking I found I remained in the space for ten or fifteen more minutes. I liked using the bell as a mediation tool.ThanksEWW

I liked the guided meditation but felt the quality of the audio on Mr. Zajonc distracting. The bell sound was intimate and clear, but during his s speaking I could hear cars passing outside and a kind of tinny white noise in the background. I guess I wasn't meditating well enough to either block it out, or not care...

I found the first stroke of the bell as a shiver in my upper hara (just below the sternum) which then reverberated up to my chest. My memory of the bell tended to make the sound deeper. Letting go I found rather difficult, since the mind was aware there was this feedback coming. In a word "staying in the moment" was harder

This guided meditation was so helpful! The bell sound helped me focus, then let go. I have tried Centering Prayer, a similar experience, but just fell asleep. Either this wonderful guide was just what I needed, or I was finally ready for it! Thank you for a lovely 10 minutes of peaceful contemplation!

This guided meditation was both soothing and distracting for me. I meditate daily and am used to meditating in complete silence these days. Years ago guided meditations was what kept me focused. That said, I was able to let go of the distractions of Arthur Zajonc's voice and let it become a part of the meditation. And by the end it became one of the best short meditations I have ever done. Usually I meditate for half and hour. This was perfect this morning because I only had time for a short meditation. I shared this on FB and will use it again many times, I'm sure.

I've been an intermittent practioner of meditation for years. I appreciate the experience of having a leader, particularly when I return to it after period of time. I'm pleased with this version and will add it to my repertoir. Thank you

I felt my the bell just beneath my skin in my arms and torso, the final bell fell over my head like a gentle water fall. The deep calm was most delightful and there was a resistance to coming out of it.

On the fourth sounding of the bell I aquired a kind of acoustical image. The final bell sound had a width our breadth to it that I was not aware of the three previous times but after hearing it and recreating it mentally the fourth sounging was uniquely different, fuller.

This was an incredibly beautiful experience for me. I am just beginning to experiment with meditation as a part of my Sabbath. I think I will use this for a while, until I become more comfortable meditating on my own.

I am just beginning to incorporate meditation as a part of my Sabbath practices. This bell meditation was incredibly helpful for a novice like me. I plan to use it again. I needed the voice to guide me. I did the meditation with the Quaker palms down/palms up approach.

(Megan) Interesting! I did the palms down when I started the meditation and then palms up when it was time to let go. I do this when I meditate and I find it very helpful. Also, a novie at meditation and definitely needed the guide.

I could see and feel the pressure of the sound waves reverberating on the surface of the brass bell.I've been experiencing great difficulty concentrating and have been considering pharmaceutical treatment, However after experiencing this exercise, I feel meditation is truly a more responsible and healthy way to center my thought process.

I have never tried this type meditation before and it was amazing. I am still wiping my tears away as it helped me connect with my true feelings. The sound of the bell helped to block out outside sounds but most importantly of all my racing thoughts. Then, when I sat openly and aware the word FEAR came into my mind and I just started to sob. But it was a cleansing type of sobbing. Recognizing that what I am going through can be fearful but I don't have to let it control me by letting it go through tears. I WILL definitely come back and do this meditation over and over again during this period in my life where I need to be the most in touch with my body, emotions, etc... AMAZING... Thank you for opening my world to this.

The bell sound did help me focus, inward, my consciousness. It is a beautiful sound, calming and gentle. While I did have to return my mind to the practice occasionally, I was without judgement about having to do that. When the guide asked that I release the sound from consciousness, I found that what replaced it was the open sky....So, yes, the guide helped me, the sound allowed me to focus away from everyday concerns for a bit, and the release of the sound allowed the openness and possibilities of the expanse of the sky to take a place in my being.

This guy is really pissing me off, his voice and the way he talks. Like bad, pretentious poetry. If I want to meditate or concentrate, give me something interesting to listen to! Or at least not annoying!

and People: there's nothing "in" there! It's not in there, it's out here, and you're not taking part in it (and thus incapable of "seeing" or "hearing" it) as you sit alone in your head focusing on your breath. (plants can breathe! machines can breathe!) It's the w o r l d, but only with you in it, not your empty mind or a worldful of mind (God forbid!) but y o u, someone spoken to and speaking, thinking, choosing, daring, shirking, acting. That is your mind! That is you! Not your brain! Not "presence" or "awareness". Presence of who? Awareness of what? of who? You are already part of it (sitting in your self-disabling Buddhist consumerism, hiding in a lifestyle, blinded to reality -- not the "presence" of the incense burning on your desk or your labored organic breath -- but the reality of the world, human reality, the only reality thinkable and possible, and only thinkable and possible in communication, interaction, association, solidarity, freedom.

Wake up! You want to be aware? You're concerned with suffering? What are you doing about the suffering of the people who made your yoga mat?

Lovely meditation. The bell filled my body with warmth and even though I don't think of myself as having a good auditory memory I was surprised at being able to remember the sound. Like someone else commented: I didn't want to let the bell go. When I did I was empty--but then thoughts about some recent personal losses appeared for awhile. Thanks for the bell at the end!

Love the concept of doing a bell meditation over the internet and appreciate your offering one. I found myself being frustrated, however, by all the instructions that kept me from engaging very deeply. I was also a little distracted by the sounds of someone walking by in the background and cars honking at one point). I realize the need for guidance, but perhaps one version could be recorded with only the most minimal guidance. Finally, when ringing the bell, I'd let it ring completely before sounding it again. I was still concentrating on the sound, which was still decaying, each time the bell was struck again. Please accept these criticisms in the spirit of gratitude, though, in which they are made!

I use natural sounds for my meditations, such as the sound of rain, flowing water, a forest or ocean waves. I can reach very deep states for a long time by actively listening to all the different nuances of natural sounds. A site that offers a great variety of such sounds is http://www.TranscendentalTones...

I really enjoyed the bell meditation. Please talk to me about how the bell meditation and social change intersect? Half way through the meditation I realized there was arguing going on next door and I was really getting annoyed. Toward the final end of the meditation I started to cry because I realized there is so much suffering on the planet, in my neighborhood, and even in my home. Thank you for offering this exercise, from the meditation I want to be more aware of consciously loving and forgiving all whom I come in contact today and let go of expectation from others. Just for today!

a master guru teacher once told me, "young Sir, you cannot see the bottom of a pond as you stir it with a stick"....it was a set of free classes i took in the 70's. i have been working on it ever since. thank you this helps....

I tried this after waking up from a night of fitful, violent dreams. At first I was worried that some of this would enter into my meditation. Instead, my thoughts kept coming back to the people that I loved... how deeply and roundly that love resonated in me... how precious it was to be able to touch or connect with another person. I will start my day now feeling enormously blessed. Thank you.

The bell helped me let my attention settle on one thing as if the sound of the bell being struck was compelling enough compared to other events in my external and internal experience. I don't know that "paying close attention" helped open awareness. I got caught up in the distinction between being openly aware and distracted, that is, the difference between being open to and being caught up in. The voice helped direct me except when the voice came in while I was attending to the bell sound from memory. Then the voice was a distraction.

I know this sound. I've been meditating for years and the bell is used when there is a large group of us, or on various recordings. It's a lovely sound and I suspect i've come to associate it with the opportunity to go deeply within...and I go. The voice of the guide is tricky--sometimes mildly annoying and yet always do-able. I have no strong feeling either way....but once the bell sounds, there is no need for further "instructions".

I have done the "bell meditation" daily for awhile now. I find it very hard so far to still the chatter in my mind whilch intrudes over and over. I find myself obsessing about the chatter, adding yet another layer of mental noise. I wonder if anyone has found some secrets or tricks to get more than a few seconds of open access.to allow anything to arise.other than humdrum thoughs that occupy my mind when I'm not trying to meditate. Fasting? Exercise? Prolonging the meditation?

I have meditated for 40+ years - usually TM and more recently include walking meditation and a meditation using hand gestures. I love the sound of the bell. I find it calming and it helps my bodymind effortlessly expand.In the beginning the voice of the guide felt intrusive with its wordiness. As I deepened, I could pluck what I needed to hear & let the rest go.I'm teaching a meditation class for LGBT seniors, and plan to use this.Thank you.

I was also surprised. My finger was impatiently tapping as I was listening to the instructions but at the end I noticed my finger not tapping anymore and I felt calmer. I would like to find just bell meditation now I like it.

The suggestion of bell-sound meditation combined with the picture triggered an immediate response. I heard the bell's dual tones resonating in my ears & felt it in my body. I closed my eyes & allowed myself to reconnect with that maternal place of consciousness we miss & long for. With my smart phone slipping through my hands & the inevitable thump on my forehead as I read in the dark hours of morning before getting ready for work, I realize there never was the sound of the bell. Yet, the 30 seconds of meditation was equally real & immeasurably calming & fortifying. Now, to find an audio of the same bell I heard!

1-Maybe not the striking of the bell with the initial harsh beats it produced, but the fading of the bell, revealing all those harmonics felt like we were doing to sound what a prism does to light. It's easy to focus on something so beautiful. 2- the strange thing was during the "let go" phase when he says to be ready for whatever thoughts rise to fill the space, I became unnerved because I expected some thought to come and it didn't, not until the thought of body tension came in as a result. One thing that really impacted me was the statement "let yourself be ready to receive any and all things. All things, meaning be ready for an earthquake, a whisper, sex, a burglar, a visitor, a knock on the door, or nothing at all; I reflected on the typical postures we take on to receive each of these things... is there an inner posture that makes ready for all of these things? I attempted this union and am unsure of my success, but found the attempt both fun and enlightening.

The bell always helps me focus, but I never thought of letting the sound go. At first it felt strange and it kept sounding in my head, but then I recognized it was gone and it felt sort of soft inside. The idea of being able to come back to the sound is sort of like the idea of coming back to the breath to re-center. Both are very helpful. So was the guide's voice- like a scaffolding for this exercise. I'll tinker with the "inside" bell at my next longer meditation. Thanks!

i did not try this meditation yet but i had a profound experience with Tibetan Bells in Coba.

we were sitting on top of the pyramid in a little room, trying to heal a woman with cancer.
we sat there, i don't know how long.
when i came out, i saw only the treetops from the top of the pyramid, but i heard what i described as the "music of the spheres".

up until that point, i was uncomfortable to down the pyramid and would go backwards, holding on to the rope.
But this time, i literally "flew" down, face forward.
i arrived at the bottom safely.
i don't know what happened to me, but after that point, i was no longer afraid to go down the pyramids with the face forward. i had discovered this "fear" while on a skilift gondola going down the mountain during the summer in Vermontt. In the winter, on skis, i schussed down the mountain without any frear.

The bell is great to focus on since it has so many things about it which can hold my attention. I always find guided meditations easier than when I try to meditate on my own, especially if I'm out of practice, as I am now. I have ADHD and so it is presumably harder for me to meditate and also of greater benefit as well. Focusing on something is much easier than trying to focus on nothing or on my breathing, as when I try not to do anything different with my breathing I have too many thoughts about it since I am a singer and have studied breathing for many years for that purpose. I think I also find focusing on a sound easier for meditation than looking at something like a flame or orange.

When you are looking for definitely efficient self value actions, binaural surpasses relaxation is going to provide you the most battling outcomes and the soonest. Nevertheless these are usually done while the mind is in the high consistency variety of try out. Any form of actions to boost self-worth have to include rebuilding the unconscious and relaxation is the easiest method to do that. Many college students of relaxation work for several years to arrive at the Theta condition effectively and consistently. Beta is the condition of mind that we are usually in when completely aware, aware, and involved in problem-solving actions.

Very calming!I used Aum with the ringing of the bell and the vibration of mmmmmm of Aum kept me focused on the vibration of the bell for a long time and I was able to stay meditative with minimal destraction. I am very grateful to you for sharing this and I will in turn share with all my friends and family.

Love the bell but had trouble getting "outside of myself" for awhile then realized it would have been better had I not read the 3 critique questions before hand because guess what...finally quieted down and found some peace and mindfulness. Sweet!

the sound of the bell brought my attention to a "centering" place within my head. It then moved to my heart chakra. As I was listening to the sound, my thoughts disapated. Repeating the memory of the bell also did the same things as listening to the bell the first time. Often times the voice of the guide was interrupting and I had to wait till I could then focus back on the sound of the bells. I have done this kind of meditation before and find it very relaxing.

Having done the exercise once or twice, where can I get the bell sound without the guide's words? I found the exercise fruitful, but the words were eventually very distracting (even aggravating), and the background noises also. Where can I can just the bell sound?

A great focal point to calm the mind. Resonated with me (oops!) as a musician but without the burden of text or harmony. I was able to move from the tone to a quieter place. I do wish that I had not known it was something to reflect upon in this context as I felt a bit distracted by standing outside myself to observe what was happening. I will do it again.

The first bell gave me a sensation in my chin that matched my heart beat. Then my body filled with a higher vibration. And then I was 'aware of awareness'. The second bell deeped my 'awareness of aware'.
Thank you for this experience!.

I love the sound of the bell. The instructions at the beginning were sufficient for me and when the voice began to talk after hearing the bell, I became distracted by it. I would have liked to have had no voice.......however, I did appreciate the voice in the beginning....peace, love, light

Before I give you my experience with the bell, please allow me to make a suggestion: Given the latest American violence, and having just seen the film it came from, (Bobby) and being deeply moved by it for several reasons, I want to ask you to play the last 7-10 minutes of Robert Kennedy's voice-over closing out the movie with an appeal for Americans to be aware of violence and be responsible for its ending. I copied it onto a digital recorder. If you will send me an email address that will allow me to send you an audio attachment, I will do so, so you can decide whether you want to go to the original. He speaks to us now in a profound way. And now to the "BELL":

I was especially moved with the "inner gesture" at the end of the meditation, followed by a dedication or intention that the fruits of it go out to all people. This is what I wish now, and this is what I intend. Thank you.

Upon the ringing of the bell, there was a fluttering goosebump feeling on the left back side of my brain. This bell sound is the same sound upcountry, where there are fields of open pastures, tall trees with the wind blowing this bell will sound throughout the day.
What an interesting bell sound that took my vision up high souring over the tops of these trees and around the pastures, and back around to where I stood still listening to this bell ring. Very healing what a delight . Thank you , thank you for this wonderful memory.

1. I loved the bell sound and it really helped me clarify my thoughts and clear my mind the sense of space expansive space came to mind.
2. Yes and no. I did feel paying attention to my breath helped me to see how things are just passing in time. And yet sometimes as I focused on the breath i would be carried away by the attention on a particular thought.
3. The voice of the guide was helpful in the beginning and was all I needed to focus. the closing sound of the bell was like a glass of refreshingly cold water at the end of a long run.

I found it helpful. I have tried many times and different programs of assistance in meditation. I appreciate the idea of 10 mins. There's less pressure and I figure, I can do anything for 10 mins.
I'll keep this email with this bell meditation and use it for future assistance.
Thank you for this treat! I strongly believe in meditation but have not disciplined myself in to doing it on a regular basis. This bell excise did help!

This meditation really appeals to me.
Is it possible to get a copy without the background noises?
My computer, IPad and iPhone all have a 'buzz' in the background and, at one stage, voices.
Many thanks.

The vibration of the bell allowed me to center my focus, the exercise of remembering the sound accessed a beautiful and un-describable mindful awareness. I have tried guided meditation before with great results, the voice is essential in this exercise to experience the full range of experience.

His voice is mesmerizing. My attention was focus on the bell because of it's beautiful tone. It was easy to remeber. My mind was easly gently focused. Let go and be aware was sitting in the back part of my brain. Was a nice meditation.

Effective. Usable. But the background noises of doors closing , etc were a little " distracting" yet the practice itself caused me to focus on the meditation and NOT the " other sounds". Enjoyable and usable practice.

When letting go of the bell sound and opening to awareness, at first I had a very focused, high alert awareness. Then this didn't feel good so I brought my awareness to a peaceful more relaxed awareness. I noticed the difference between these states. This was very insightful.
Thank you for this exercise.

I had an amazing thing happen when a bell was hit by a door and the sound was very very loud. I thought I had stroke it was so loud, (I had a stroke 3 years previously). After 20 minutes my brain returned to a state of absolute clarity, like all the worries, depression, self esteem issues vanished. I would like to research this matter further as I believe that this could lead to a treatment for depression sufferers. The bell needs to be so very loud and, I think also un-expected. There maybe issues relating to ear drums but the effect was so profound I feel compelled to research this and find somebody who understands what may have happen and how it maybe possible to repeat in a control environment.

I think your spoken introduction is a distraction. I kept thinking when will this guy stop talking and let me listen to the bell. The bell is it's own explanation and needs no introduction. I have found other sites with more bell and less talk.

The sound of the bell helped me to focus. I felt it was very grounding. It helped with centering for a meditation. I did not find his voice distracting. His voice was more like a guide, it was not meant to be a silent meditation.
Paying close attention helped with my breathing more than that of "letting go".

Listening to the bells was helpful for my focussing. I looked forward to the voice to guide me. I felt more relaxed afterward, and even before the suggestion, I felt a gratitude that this was available to me. I like the idea of sending the benefits to all. xo

Focusing on the bell took my consciousness away from my quotidien concerns for a few moments. However after doing this exercise several times I find the voice too intrusive and often superfluous. I will likely mimic the exercise with times chimes using the mindfulness all

I have been doing this practice at least twice a day for the past few months. The bell and the guided structure is perfect for me and has kept my sanity intact as I edit my graduate thesis. Thank-you Krista, Shubha Bala and Professor Zajonc.

The sound of the bell was so helpful in focusing attention
Yes paying close attention did help me really let go & become aware
The voice helped a great deal because it guided me in away l would not have known how to go